The Home Office said the website has had 47m visits since it was launched at the start of last year. During this time the website has gone through a series of updates. These have included adding crimes that have occurred at points of interest, such as supermarkets and nightclubs, and introducing new crime categories like shoplifting.

Home Office minister Nick Herbert said: “The public don’t just want to know what crime is being committed in their local area; they want to know what is being done about it. Did the person who smashed a shop window get arrested? Has the person stealing from the local newsagents been arrested and sent to court?

“The Police.uk site is helping to revolutionise the way the police and the wider criminal justice system are held to account by making this information available at the touch of a button.”

Last July, research by insurance company Direct Line suggested that the online crime mapping system deterred people from reporting crime for fear of affecting house prices. It found that more than 5.2 million people have not reported crimes as they were afraid of putting off home buyers or renters.